A suspect in the death of a woman whose body was found along an Adams County road this week committed suicide a few days later in Thornton, investigators say.
The body of Brandi Allen, 31, was found by a passer-by about 6:55 a.m. Sunday in the 9800 block of Quincy Street, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. It first was reported that the body was found Sunday evening.
Investigators initially believed Allen overdosed on drugs, but the cause of death was “by strangulation,” said sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Terrance O’Neill.
Christopher Lynes, 31, of Thornton, was a suspect in her death,
but he committed suicide, O’Neill said.
Thornton police spokesman Matt Barnes said police were called about 4:55 p.m. Tuesday to the 1500 block of Eppinger Boulevard on a reported suicide. Barnes declined to identify the suicide victim, citing an “ongoing” Adams County investigation. The Adams County Coroner’s Office did not return phone calls Friday.
Allen and Lynes were friends who attended the New Destiny Christian Center together, pastor Keenan Roberts said.
They joined the church together around Thanksgiving and were steady, involved parishioners, Roberts said. “They had come together to almost everything.”
Lynes was quiet and reserved, Roberts said, while Allen was outgoing and engaging. The two were working on strengthening their Christian faith and moving toward a promising future.
The congregation has been stunned by the couple’s deaths.
“There were so many encouraging signs,” he said.
Allen’s brother, Shane Lawless, of Omaha, said he had reconnected with his older sister about 18 months ago. The children had been placed for adoption when Lawless was 3.
As adults,
their relationship flourished quickly by e-mail and led to a reunion. “It wasn’t like meeting a stranger,” he said. “It was like, ‘I saw you yesterday.’ There wasn’t a minute that was awkward.”
Lawless said he feels robbed by his sister’s death. “We had a great year or so. It was incredible.”
Lawless visited Colorado in October, to attend the funeral of Allen’s son, Austyn Atkinson.
Atkinson, 11, died Oct. 13, when the van he was riding in with his foster family slammed into the back of a truck on U.S. 287 south of Kit Carson. The wreck killed four other children and their father, Howard Mitchell.
On Sunday morning, just a couple of hours after Allen’s body was found, Lynes attended church in Thornton. “He was quiet,” Roberts said. “But that wasn’t unusual.”
Other church members asked Lynes where Allen was. He told them someone else was supposed to pick her up, but didn’t.
When Roberts heard about Allen’s death on Monday he tried to reach Lynes by telephone.
Lynes wouldn’t come to the phone, Roberts said, but a person at the home held the receiver to his ear. Roberts said he spoke to him for 15 minutes. Lynes didn’t say much.
“Whatever you are feeling, whatever you are going through, God loves you and cares about you,” Roberts told Lynes. ”
I just wanted him to be affirmed with the redeeming message.”
